Doshas.. Which mix are you?

Discover Your Dosha

What are Doshas you ask?  Well the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—are principles. They can't be seen with the naked eye, but their effects in the body can't be missed. Thought to be condensed from different combinations of the primal elements earth, water, fire, air, and ether, the doshas are the life energies behind all of our bodily functions. Each of them commands a specific force in the body, and each is associated with certain sensory qualities.

Dosha is a Sanskrit word that means "fault," "defect," or "that which darkens." It comes from the root dush, meaning "to become corrupt or bad; to sin." A classical text of Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita, employs it mainly to indicate excess that is capable of causing disease.

We each have all three of the doshas in our physiology, but each individual has different proportions of each, so everyone’s dosha is unique. Ayurveda explains that human being are made up of the five elements- air, space, fire, water, and earth. We breathe air to oxygenate our tissues. Space fills up the hollows in our body cavities. Fire takes place in our digestive tract, as we break down food and burn energy. Water makes up 2/3 of us, and earth makes up our bones. These elements make up the doshas. Vata is air and space, while Pitta is fire and water, and Kapha is earth and water.

Analyzing everything from teeth and nails to temperament and sleep habits can help you identify your Ayurvedic constitution.

Dosha Test!

Select the trait under each category that most applies to you. (A) responses correspond to vata, (b) to pitta, and (c) to kapha. When you are finished, calculate your results to discover your dominant constitution.

Height

1. Tall or very short
2. Medium
3. Usually short, but can be tall and large

Frame

1. Thin, bony, good muscles
2. Moderate, developed
3. Large, well-built

Weight

1. Low; hard to hold weight
2. Moderate
3. Heavy; hard to lose weight

Skin Luster

1. Dull or dusky
2. Ruddy, lustrous
3. White or pale

Skin Texture

1. Dry, rough, thin
2. Warm, oily
3. Cold, damp, thick

Eyes

1. Small, nervous
2. Piercing, easily inflamed
3. Large, white

Hair

1. Dry, thin
2. Thin, oily
3. Thick, oily, wavy, lustrous

Teeth

1. Crooked, poorly formed
2. Moderate, bleeding gums
3. Large, well-formed

Nails

1. Rough, brittle
2. Soft, pink
3. Soft, white

Joints

1. Stiff, crack easily
2. Loose
3. Firm, large

Circulation

1. Poor, variable
2. Good
3. Moderate

Appetite

1. Variable, nervous
2. High, excessive
3. Moderate but constant

Thirst

1. Low, scanty
2. High
3. Moderate

Sweating

1. Scanty
2. Profuse but not enduring
3. Low to start but profuse

Stool

1. Hard or dry
2. Soft, loose
3. Normal

Urination

1. Scanty
2. Profuse, yellow
3. Moderate, clear

Sensitivities

1. Cold, dryness, wind
2. Heat, sunlight, fire
3. Cold, damp

Immune Function

1. Low, variable
2. Moderate, sensitive to heat
3. High

Disease Tendency

1. Pain, inflammation
2. Fever, edema
3. Congestion

Disease Type

1. Nervous
2. Blood, liver
3. Mucous, lungs

Activity

1. High, restless
2. Moderate
3. Low, moves slowly

Endurance

1. Poor, easily exhausted
2. Moderate but focused
3. High

Sleep

1. Poor, disturbed
2. Variable
3. Excessive

Dreams

1. Frequent, colorful
2. Moderate, romantic
3. Infrequent, disturbed

Memory

1. Quick but absent-minded
2. Sharp, clear
3. Slow but steady

Speech

1. Fast, frequent
2. Sharp, cutting
3. Slow, melodious

Temperament

1. Nervous, changeable
2. Motivated
3. Content, conservative

Positive Emotions

1. Adaptability
2. Courage
3. Love

Negative Emotions

1. Fear
2. Anger
3. Attachment

Faith

1. Variable, erratic
2. Strong, determined
3. Steady but slow to change

Totals

1. ____
2. ____
3. ____

When you are finished, calculate your results to discover your dominant constitution. (A) responses correspond to vata, (b) to pitta, and (c) to kapha.

My scores:
a  7
b  9
c  11

With that being said I am prodominatly Kapha, followed by Vata, and last is Pita!

Now the fun really begins :) 

Ash